Def Leppard – VIVA! Hysteria

This well-constructed insight into the hype of Def Leppard’s Hysteria tour at the Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas is sure to have audiences up on their feet. As the film begins, director Christian Lamb incorporates a variety of vintage interview snippets with the band offstage, giving us a more personal introduction. The band wax lyrical about some of their small-scale gigs when starting out (once performing to a hotel crowd of 35 people in their hometown of Sheffield) – in contrast with the 40,000 that turned out at the Las Vegas residency to applaud album Hysteria being played from start to finish.

As the concert begins, there is incredible footage of the band performing with absolute raw passion and enthusiasm – doing what they do best. There are also many scenes from the audience’s perspective. Given Def Leppard’s history of performing in much larger arenas, the effect this extravagant yet intimate concert has on the audience evokes further admiration for the band and their long-running success at the top. The English rockers have been inspiring rocks ‘n’ roll enthusiasts for 33 years and show no sign of stopping any time soon.

The audience range from the original fans, who have been there from the start, to a new generation showing more interest in the classic 80s rock ‘n’ roll genre than the rise of their own generational music scene. The band bask in their success with the younger generations of today, passing the legend of rock ‘n’ roll on, and keeping it alive. This film is undoubtedly an enjoyable and exhilarating watch for oldies and young people alike. Def Leppard – VIVA! Hysteria will ignite a fire in the bellies of even those without much interest in rock ‘n’ roll. Well worth a look!

Eden Williams

Def Leppard – VIVA! Hysteria is released nationwide on the 19^th September 2013.

Watch the trailer for Def Leppard VIVA! Hysteria here: